A method for determining the water content using a drying balance is described in DE 38 32 726 C2.
EP 1 004 859 B1 discloses a drying balance wherein a cover is moved over the removable pan in order to close a weighing chamber. In order to remove the pan, the cover is moved back again into the housing of the drying balance. In this way, the accessibility of the pan is optimized.
However, there are also drying balances, i.e. above all, top-pan drying balances in which no movable cover is present, so that the weighing chamber is closed and is accessible via a hinged cover. Herein, the pan must be introduced into the weighing chamber laterally. As known, it is herein important that the pan is handled with a tool in order not to leave any contaminants on the pan.
A pan lifting device for gripping and conveying a pan is described in DE 202 10 500 U1. This pan lifting device is placed on the pan from above, wherein a handle extends vertically and has two limbs extending in opposing directions from its lower end. Mounted at the end of each of these limbs are U-shaped receptacles which, approaching from above, encompass the rim of the pan and extend as far as the bottom. Thus the pan is grasped from the diametrically opposite side in that the limbs press radially and against one another.
Forceps and pincers are known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,683 A, DE 20 2012 102 499 U1 and US 2005/0001439 A1 for entirely different purposes are not suitable for gripping a balance pan laterally, since on axial clamping, the pan would tilt in the forceps or pincers.
From U.S. Pat. No. 1,541,738 A, there is known a pincer-like kitchen lifting tool wherein two handle limbs are connected to one another via a hinge. A leaf spring presses the handle ends apart and thereby presses the gripping portions disposed before the hinge toward one another. A lower portion has a plate-shaped supporting projection. Using the universal pincers disclosed, it is intended that different pans can be lifted.
FR 784 609 A describes a clamping device for pans wherein, however, the upper handle and the lower handle transition into one another on the rear-side handle end. The lower grip limb has a plate-like projection which comes to lie under the pan, whereas the upper-side handle limb has a hook-shaped projection which, on pressing together the handle limbs, comes to lie against the inside of the pan.
Another pan lifter in the form of pincers is known from FR 788 517 A. This pan lifter is configured like a pair of shears or pincers, and formed onto the lower handle end is a plate-like projection which lies under the pan, and at the upper handle end an upwardly open U-shaped projection which is intended to grip the upper edge of the pan.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,564 A describes a pan lifter, the lower handle limb of which is configured as a planar part. With a pivot axis, an upper handle limb is pivotably articulated on the lower handle limb. In the region of the ends of the handle limbs, a compression spring which pre-tensions the pan lifter into a clamping position is arranged between the handle limbs. FR 2 406 985 A1 discloses a very similar pair of pincers.